Gehlot meets Sonia, Priyanka ahead of cabinet reshuffle in Rajasthan

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met Congress president Sonia Gandhi here on Thursday and the two leaders are learnt to have discussed the political situation as well as the impending cabinet reshuffle in the state.

Gehlot met Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with AICC general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan Ajay Maken and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, at former party chief Rahul Gandhi's residence here on Wednesday night and held lengthy discussions on the cabinet reshuffle in the state.

A major reshuffle is on the cards in Rajasthan in the next few days and various modalities are being worked out by adopting the "one man, one post" formula while considering appointments in the cabinet, sources said.

Gehlot later told reporters that the Congress high-command will decide on the reshuffle and Maken has all the information about it.

He said the party wants good governance to continue in the state.

Gehlot said the Centre should further reduce the excise duty on petrol and diesel and the states would follow suit by reducing VAT.

Rajasthan is not among the states that have reduced the VAT on petrol and diesel so far after the Centre reduced the excise duty by Rs 10 per litre on petrol and by Rs 5 per litre on diesel.

Pointing towards the spiralling fuel prices, Gehlot urged the Centre to support the states by further reducing taxes on it.